I would like to delete my account

[Aetherous]

Lets take you two examples here and look at them closely.

 

We are talking about qi. So we are referring to refining jing into qi, and I am sure we can agree that the lower dantian is responsible for this.

 

If you spend years training, and you think you have qi. You train and you feel a vibration. This is surely wonderful if that is what your training is telling you to expect. But, what of your supposed qi. How can you even tell you have any qi. How can you tell that what you have been doing has actually resulted in you having qi. Focus on different part of the body can cause various sensation to occur. Doesn't mean its anything related to qi.

 

Now, the making little shreds of paper fly around. This is something that concretely proves to the person who has been training that he has in fact refined qi. He has a control over qi and can affect a physical object with it. The goal surely has never been to do this, but it's a wonderful way to know you have actually done what you are intended to do. Refine qi and gain control over it.

 

There is no way that placebo, sheer force of will or blind will can make those papers fly around without you having qi. The same goes for emitting qi that feels electrical, or being able to light something on fire with your qi.

 

It's never about those "pointless" acts. It's about having the ability to confirm that you have achieved your goal of refining jing into qi. From your years of training, what concrete proof do you have that you have refined qi.

 

Refining qi won't make you more compassionate. Wont help with anger issues or emotional bagage. Won't turn you into a more mature person. Your health will improve from stillness on a daily basis, and the enhanced flexibility that something like taichi or movement practices will offer.

 

These are not confirmations that you have managed to activate the dantian and refine qi. How can you be sure then that you have qi, other than blind faith and a vibration here and there that can be caused by any number of reasons?

Dantian training and seemingly magical manifestations of qi are one type of cultivation, specific to Daoist offshoots. I did follow that path for a while and had some cool effects from a type of that training...although not making shreds of paper fly around. The results were obvious and not simply feeling vibrations, which is a decent sign by the way, which anyone can experience in like one day of practice.

 

The refinement of qi from jing is in reality something everyone does in order to be alive...practices that emphasize that action might have differing effects. The one I did years ago had a more spiritual effect, causing spirit travel basically. It utilizes the lower dantian and the ren and du for spiritual purposes rather than for manipulation of external qi. It was said to also be able to affect other people, even to kill different beings from a distance, if done in a certain way...obviously a poor idea to try, especially since it's your own Shen and jing that you're wasting in the process. I used the energy for healing once although it was too high vibration to be good for that.

 

That practice was ultimately too challenging to maintain in terms of what was required to practice it safely. These days my practices still utilize the mingmen in a certain sense, but they're far removed from the Daoist versions of neidan.

[Aetherous]

Perhaps earlier I was interested in those things

I've found that my cultivation interests move in cycles. Now I'm interested in this, then I'm interested in that, later I'm interested in this again.

 

It's important to follow your momentary passions, while also maintaining a discipline in one school of thought that you can agree with. With no long term discipline in one line, there is little result. With no passion, there's little energy.

[Jim D.]

Aetherous, I find you pontificating and annoying when you set yourself up to know the answers for Lessdoamorebum or anyone. A mentor of mine once said, if a man does not ask you to be involved in what he is doing, than stay out of it.

 

I have been here since June 2016 and have found Lessdoamorebum to be correct in his criticism. How is it that members are trying to convince him to stay on. If his needs are not being met it is none of our business why he wants to leave. He told us, and nothing came out of it. We still have the "posers" and we still have the stealthy serious guys that are trying to get something out of all this. Like I said, if it wasn't for Karl and Marblehead, and maybe Nungali  , I would have lost interest.

 

So why don't we give Lessdoamorebum his space, and let it be. Isn't that what Taoism is about...flowing with it.

[Aetherous]

Aetherous, I find you pontificating and annoying when you set yourself up to know the answers for Lessdoamorebum or anyone. A mentor of mine once said, if a man does not ask you to be involved in what he is doing, than stay out of it.

 

I have been here since June 2016 and have found Lessdoamorebum to be correct in his criticism. How is it that members are trying to convince him to stay on. If his needs are not being met it is none of our business why he wants to leave. He told us, and nothing came out of it. We still have the "posers" and we still have the stealthy serious guys that are trying to get something out of all this. Like I said, if it wasn't for Karl and Marblehead, and maybe Nungali  , I would have lost interest.

 

So why don't we give Lessdoamorebum his space, and let it be. Isn't that what Taoism is about...flowing with it.

 

I'm not stopping him, just sharing some of what I consider to be good things for cultivation. Perhaps I'm stupid for doing so! Like I said, I'm used to being hated for no good reason...I've only attempted to share positively here. How people view that is something in their own perception.

[liminal_luke]

Aetherous, I find you pontificating and annoying when you set yourself up to know the answers for Lessdoamorebum or anyone. A mentor of mine once said, if a man does not ask you to be involved in what he is doing, than stay out of it.

 

I have been here since June 2016 and have found Lessdoamorebum to be correct in his criticism. How is it that members are trying to convince him to stay on. If his needs are not being met it is none of our business why he wants to leave. He told us, and nothing came out of it. We still have the "posers" and we still have the stealthy serious guys that are trying to get something out of all this. Like I said, if it wasn't for Karl and Marblehead, and maybe Nungali  , I would have lost interest.

 

So why don't we give Lessdoamorebum his space, and let it be. Isn't that what Taoism is about...flowing with it.

 

I´m sure Lessdaomorebum will do what he wants regardless.  Sharing opinions and advice is kind of par for the course here. Oftentimes very good advice is lost on the person it was actually meant for, but useful to someone else who comes around later.  I don´t always agree with Aetherous´s point of view (is being hated for no good reason a sign of spiritual progress?), but I find a lot of what he says useful and all of it well-meant.

Edited August 7, 2016 by liminal_luke

[Aetherous]

(is being hated for no good reason a sign of spiritual progress?)

 

It's a questionable statement...we can find concrete proof in one particularly popular case of a spiritual teacher, not to compare myself to the someone like him by any means.

 

Anyway, thanks for gaining something from someone who is not a teacher...to listen and learn from all, in one way or another, is the mark of a wise person. <-further potentially meaningless platitudes

[lessdaomorebum]

I'm not stopping him, just sharing some of what I consider to be good things for cultivation. Perhaps I'm stupid for doing so! Like I said, I'm used to being hated for no good reason...I've only attempted to share positively here. How people view that is something in their own perception.

The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

[Jim D.]

Lessdaomorebum, there isn't one man on this thread offering you advice and reasons to stay because they are being aultruistic. They are relating to your concerns and are responding to their own perceptions, and internal dialogue about the situation. It is about them, including me.

[Aetherous]

The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

 

That saying is in reference to people having bad actions, despite good intentions. So in other words, the road to hell is paved with negative deeds...as the religions teach us.

 

Is it a bad action to share some food for thought? Perhaps sometimes. But it's such a minuscule form of bad in this particular case, that I don't personally see a problem with what I've done here. Take offense as you desire.

 

Anyway...it seems that nothing more needs to be said at the moment, so I'm out of this thread.

[Marblehead]

Well lessdaomorebum, you have been on line with us four days longer than you would have been had it been a policy to delete accounts.

 

That's actually a good sign.  It shows concern.

 

I don't even know what irritated you and really don't want to know.  Knowing would prejudice my thoughts.

 

It is obvious to me that you are willing to discuss disagreements.  But sometimes we reach the point where it is best to just agree that there is a disagreement that connot be resolved at this time and let it go.

 

As I said, I don't like to see members leave and especially if it because of a disagreement with another member.

 

Be well and take care.

Edited August 7, 2016 by Marblehead

[lessdaomorebum]

That saying is in reference to people having bad actions, despite good intentions. So in other words, the road to hell is paved with negative deeds...as the religions teach us.

 

Is it a bad action to share some food for thought? Perhaps sometimes. But it's such a minuscule form of bad in this particular case, that I don't personally see a problem with what I've done here. Take offense as you desire.

 

Anyway...it seems that nothing more needs to be said at the moment, so I'm out of this thread.

You have a profound ego problem.

[lessdaomorebum]

Well lessdaomorebum, you have been on line with us four days longer than you would have been had it been a policy to delete accounts.

 

That's actually a good sign.  It shows concern.

 

I don't even know what irritated you and really don't want to know.  Knowing would prejudice my thoughts.

 

It is obvious to me that you are willing to discuss disagreements.  But sometimes we reach the point where it is best to just agree that there is a disagreement that connot be resolved at this time and let it go.

 

As I said, I don't like to see members leave and especially if it because of a disagreement with another member.

 

Be well and take care.

Hmmm..........

I gave my reasons, split among two places on this thread, the second time specifically pointing out that it wasn't some sort of disagreement with an in-duh-vidual. We'll see you in September in Mrs. Jones' remedial reading class

 

JimD, go have a qi burrito and walk your dog.

 

PS I could have just signed up for another account if I had been able to delete.

 

PPS Thanks to Cheya and 小夢想 and Earl Grey for making this site a whole lot better than it would otherwise be.

Edited August 8, 2016 by lessdaomorebum

[Nungali]

Sorry my friend but I am beyond all your powers.

 

Ohhh .... ummmm  .... okay 

 

 

[Marblehead]

Hmmm..........

I gave my reasons, split among two places on this thread, the second time specifically pointing out that it wasn't some sort of disagreement with an in-duh-vidual. We'll see you in September in Mrs. Jones' remedial reading class

 

 

Hey, I never said that I didn't have a reading comprehension problem.  But I rarely give up trying to understand.  (Doesn't mean I will agree, just that I understand.)

[cheya]

LessDaoMoreBum wrote:

""PPS Thanks to Cheya and 小夢想  and Earl Grey for making this site a whole lot better than it would otherwise be."

 

Why thank you!

And as you know.... the feeling is mutual!

Awfully glad you're still hanging out with us Bums.

Edited August 8, 2016 by cheya

[Nungali]

Oh my God!  I just noticed the lizard in your pic. I think that my special name for you will be Lizard Man. Huh? What do you think? Like it?

 

I already have that name ;   Nungali ..... Nungungali  is a goana in Bungalung language (my teachers  people)  

 

 

 

 

But Ngali  (or also Nungungali)  is a mythical warrior / protector  'cast' into the local geology, I can see him from my front yard 

 

 

http://www.timaickin.com.au/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=17115&g2_serialNumber=2

 

... and a local tourist attraction

 

https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/Lookouts/Skywalk-lookout  (scroll down and read ) 

[Nungali]

Some comments here, and one in a PM, have made me realize that at least before I listed out my grievances, some mistakenly thought I was leaving because of some spat with some one or some people. That is not the case. The number of dummies is the reason I was looking to leave.

 

 

Look ...   are you leaving or not  ! ?          

 

I don't see why one should have to wait till 200 posts to be able to control one's own thread. If I want to know about qi and someone wants to post about tacos on my thread, why can't I just delete his useless post? Just say at the start of the thread that this is a controlled thread, and Marblesinthehead can skip that one

 

Otherwise, a thread that should have a few pages ends up with more than a dozen. Then no one reads most of it, thereby missing whatever useful information might be mixed in with several people's idiotic ramblings.

 

A fourth item I could have put in my answer to Wilfred's question on page one is related to what 小夢想 has been saying: people talking about things they don't know about.

 

Someone came on this thread who I had previously PMed about a practice he recommended on another thread. When I PMed him it turned out he does not really do that practice. He had done it a little in past. How ironic that he then comes to this thread to further confuse everyone.

 

On my chee thread, there were people telling me to do things I had very clearly said I had tried (and had explained what the issues were). Some of them were supposedly experienced practitioners, one even a well known teacher, but their posts on that thread were drivel -- and they never had the integrity to respond about their false advice (arrogant Confucians!).

 

I understand that for some people this is like going down to the pub and having a pint. The problem is that I am not the sort of person who goes down to the pub to have a point. I just don't feel I have that much time to waste. I have many interests, things that make me much happier than sitting on a stool in a smoky, loud room drinking poison with strangers. I come to a forum like this, or some forum that someone might want to start (any takers?), to be among other adults who are trying to do something.

 

If I went to a forum for playing piano, I wouldn't want people posting about a "key of C sandwich", or telling me about some technique for learning chords that they themselves don't use or have never tried, or just wasting my time with drivel that has nothing to do with playing the piano.

 

I would expect that people would only post if they had a certain level of knowledge or experience to go with their post. And if they don't abide by those rules, then for the sake of the integrity of the forum there needs to be a mechanism of ensuring quality control (warnings, deletions, et cetera). Otherwise a forum is just a pub full of pissed wankers.

 

Here is a picture of my cat 

 

 

 

 

welcome to the internet. 

[dawei]

Some comments here, and one in a PM, have made me realize that at least before I listed out my grievances, some mistakenly thought I was leaving because of some spat with some one or some people. That is not the case. The number of dummies is the reason I was looking to leave.

 

I don't see why one should have to wait till 200 posts to be able to control one's own thread. If I want to know about qi and someone wants to post about tacos on my thread, why can't I just delete his useless post? Just say at the start of the thread that this is a controlled thread, and Marblesinthehead can skip that one

 

Valid point... but it is the historical problem of puppet accounts; people who signed up just to troll topics might abuse the permissions.  So we threw a dart and it stuck at 200 posts.    

 

BTW: In announcing you wanted your account to be deleted and then explaining all the nuances... you've put yourself half way there 

So this is the type of newbie we hope eventually gets the permissions... keep going 

[dawei]

There are people who have decades into this stuff who can't do squat, so it is not of any interest to me how long someone has been doing it. Can they do stuff? Some people play piano for many years and aren't any good (which is fine if they enjoy it), while others can play well in less time.

 

Another good point.  I call that one's own destiny or path.    Folks are moving along something they feel lead to (or are chasing) but in the end, in this lifetime, they are only going as far as destiny has for them.

 

I came to the point of respecting everyone's path, every far or short, as it is where they are going and will end up in the end.

 

But, my wife makes some wonder chinese dishes... and while she has not western background for cooking, she is turning it upside down by combining the two.   Sometimes our path will diverge to another branch and produce a new flower.    Sometimes, it is just where it is.    

 

While I was not around for the original creation of the site...   but my sense is that we need to respect all paths as that is another's path.... and we're best to spend most of our energy understanding our path and sticking to it... but flexible to the fact that our path may not be so straight and narrow nor produce demonstrations of great feats.   

[liminal_luke]

I find my fellow Bums exasperating, fascinating, enlightening, erudite, and -- often -- annoying as hell.  Come to think of it, that pretty much sums up my opinion of people in general.  There´s no escape, my friend.  No escape.

[Brian]

I find my fellow Bums exasperating, fascinating, enlightening, erudite, and -- often -- annoying as hell. Come to think of it, that pretty much sums up my opinion of people in general. There´s no escape, my friend. No escape.

Everywhere you go, there you are...

[Jim D.]

Your cat Numgali looks like something from the Inqusition era. The cat looks mad at someone. Maybe you Nungali. I think the cat just passed judgement and you will soon be brought to trial by the rack and fire.

 

Run for it Nungali. Run!!!!!!

[Jim D.]

Nungali, you can see what I look like if you can go to Classical Tai Chi Form and Delivery of Power (Fajin) Youtube. My Master is giving a talk, and I can be seen in the reflection to his right. The camera pans in, so you will get a good look . I had hair then. Now I wear a buzz, a number O. I cut my own hair. I have been practicing Classical Wu Tai Chi since 2003. Very difficult to learn because you have to use the abdomen and back muscles to drive the Form. There are 108 postures. I am still refining the postures.

 

Everyone else is welcome to take a look if you're curious as to what I look like.

[Nungali]

The Nungli pic didnt work (funny that ) 

 

 

lets ask him again nicely , please  

 

 

 

 

[Nungali]

.... Bugglebear Nungli !